Crimson Tears
by SignsofSam
Summary: AU of episode 3.16, written before episode premiered. With Haley and Nathan just getting back together, how will a shooting at school effect them? FINAL CHAPTER January 30th!
1. Chapter 1

-1**Chapter One: The Day the Sky Fell  
**  
"Haley! Haley! HALEY JAMES SCOTT! Are you even listening to me?" Brooke whispered, jabbing her pencil into Haley's arm, bringing the teenager out of her daydream. "I mean, you already think about Nathan 24/7, couldn't you at least _look_ like you're listening?"

The seventeen-year old turned her head, pushing locks of light brown hair off her forehead, wondering how they escaped the clip her hair was in. It must have been the early morning make-out session with Nathan in their car on the way to school. They had been stopped at the light, the radio had been set to their song; this was the song she had sung to him as they lay in bed their first night as husband and wife. It was the song she had dedicated to him on the tour, and the first song she sang to him when they got back together. "Faithfully" by Journey.

"HALEY!"

"Huh? What, Brooke?"

"PAY ATTENTION! God, since that time capsule thing I swear you've become more spacey. What, did Nathan like give you a quickie back stage or something?" Haley's eyes widened in surprise, but they quickly turned to disgust when she looked at Brooke.

"No! How dare you suggest that, Brooke Davis! At least I didn't show half the world my boobs!"

"No one was supposed to see that, Tutor Wife." Brooke smirked, her eyes narrowed devilishly at her friend. "Though, Peyton says I'm like up to number two on some Hot list somewhere. But, like I was saying before we went off on some wild tangent that you started-" Haley raised her eyebrow at her friend's use of vocabulary. "What? I picked up some new words from Mars-and don't you get me started! I was asking if I was going to have to get a new roommate soon, cause I'm sure Lucas wouldn't mind filling the space. One bed, more room…then again, it might disturb him that his brother and his best friend used to use that room…Gross!"

Ah, the question she wanted answered. Would she forever be stuck in that one bedroom with Brooke, or would she and her husband finally move in together, be a family? Her big brown eyes looked across the room, catching familiar blue eyes. The only person in the room who could answer that question. Nathan Scott. The love of her life. The tormentor of her dreams.

"Miss Davis, Miss James, I suggest if you don't want detention, you turn around and listen to the lesson like all the other students," the teacher called.

"Um, Mr. Berns?" Haley called out, receiving a glare from the aging man.

"What, Miss James?"

"It's Mrs."

His eyes narrowed in question. "Mrs. _Scott_, actually." Nathan smirked, knowing how much Haley loved to correct people about her name. He remembered when she corrected Nick Zano on her tv interview.

"How I am ever sorry, _Mrs. Scott_. Now, as I was saying, the general formula for the net mechanical energy is the total _kinetic_ energy added together with the total _potential_ energy. Who can give us the formula for kinetic energy?" Instantly Haley's hand shot up, intent on showing up old Mr. Berns, but his frail eyes perused the room behind the horn-rimmed glasses, stopping at Nathan. "Mr. Scott, tell us the answer."

Oh, Lord. Why did he sign up for Physics again? He loved the subject, and he was maintaining a B, but sometimes this stuff confused him. His dark eyes perused his notes, seeing Haley's encouraging smile. Then he found it; somehow, his angel had gotten a hold of his notes, because the formula had a thick black box around it and was highlighted pink.

"Mr. Scott, please, don't answer before the rest of us die."

"The answer is one-half mass times velocity squared," Nathan returned, smirking when the teacher was silenced. "And the formula for potential energy is mass times by the force of gravity times by the height." He stopped just as the bell rang, putting a cap on this horrible 2nd period class. Nathan slammed his physics book shut and carelessly grabbed it as he headed to Haley and Brooke's table, taking Haley's books as well.

She gave him one of her smiles; it lit up his whole world. "Why, thank you, Mr. Scott."

"You are quite welcome, Mrs. Scott." He smiled, the smile just for Haley, before turning to greet Brooke. "Hey, Brooke."

"Ugh! Lovebirds!" Brooke quipped as she threw her pens in her bag. "Well, I must go meet my lovely P. Sawyer. Bye, guys." She skipped away, singing off tune to some random Brittany Spears song on her I-pod.

Nathan wrapped his arm around Haley's shoulders, leading her out of the room. She looked up and smiled at him; he looked down and smiled at her. It was instantaneous, their connection. "Nate, can I ask you something?" she whispered as she opened her locker, taking her books from his hands.

His eyebrows furrowed and he looked at her, his hand nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "Why-"

"Nate, my man!" Tim called, coming up beside Haley. "Whassup, Homie-G rockstar?"

"Tim, just say Haley. _Hay-ley_," Haley replied, slamming her locker shut. "I'll see you later, Nathan." She reached up, kissing him lightly on the cheek. He loved how her dark blue spaghetti strap shirt rose just enough to show her tattoo in the back, and he lovingly rubbed it for a couple of seconds before she pulled away.

"Haley, what about your question?" he asked, glaring at Tim for interrupting their moment.

"Later Nathan. I love you."

"I love you too, Haley." He turned to Tim, wondering what the hell he wanted.

**----CRIMSON TEARS----**

Haley sat in the student lounge, her books spread out on the table, her notebook in her lap. She rubbed her temples, glancing up at the clock. Five minutes? AFTER ALL THAT WORK ON HER CALCULUS HOMEWORK, HOW COULD ONLY FIVE FRIGGIN' MINUTES PASS? She glanced down at her paper and sighed; so she had lied; she had only done one problem, and it was a simple one at that. She sighed; she couldn't get her mind off of Brooke's question. _I was asking if I was going to have to get a new roommate soon_. She truly didn't have an answer for Brooke. On one hand, she knew that Nathan loved her; she knew that Nathan wanted her and needed her just as much as she needed him, but on the other hand, she didn't know if he trusted her enough to let her back into his life that much.

She stood up, rubbing her eyes. She looked around the empty student lounge, looking at the tv. She had watched Nathan's inebriated and angry face on this tv…she had watched him bash her and their marriage here. Her eyes turned to meet a pair of dull brown ones, hidden behind glasses held together by tape, classic _Revenge of the Nerds_ style. Her eyes took in the slightly chubby face, sweat clinging to his skin.

_Jimmy_. 

Lucas had told her about him. She vaguely remembered him from the old days, when she was a geeky, conservative Haley who thought that Nathan was a jackass, Brooke was a whore, and Peyton was some punk posesr who had the good life. She had been shocked when she first heard his capsule piece. All those hateful things he had said, how many people he had hurt…she was only one of hundreds of people that were shocked and hurt. She hadn't been surprised when Nathan had told her about the fight. When kids hurt, they fight back-physically, emotionally, whatever way they could. She shook her head back into reality, looking at him. "Hey, Jimmy," she whispered, sitting back down. He didn't answer her, just walked past, head hung low.

Ten minutes later, the bell rang. Doors opened quickly as students filled the hallways, wishing for the day to be over. Haley joined them, her books heavy in her hands. She wished Nathan were here to carry them for her.

**BANG!!!**

Haley's head jerked to the hallway; her books clattered to the ground as a kid fell. She heard screams of her peers, felt the kids in the hall running to her, their faces contorted in pain and confusion. She felt her shoulders slam into the wall as students past her. She was frozen in place.

Then she saw the body, lying on the cold ground, and against all her instincts that were telling her to run, against everything that was screaming for her to run with the kids, she went toward that body, toward that helpless victim on the ground. The shooter was no where to be see; she assumed he went outside, to the courtyard, where she could hear more terrified screams. She dropped by the body, eyes worried as she turned it.

_"Oh, God, Tim."_

Tears welled in her eyes as she caught his wide, fearful brown eyes. She closed them, her hands trembling as she touched his warm body. "No-no, Tim, oh, God, no," she whimpered, hearing a door slam open, faint sires ringing in her ears. She gasped as she felt her eyes connect with the eyes of the shooter. Dull, brown eyes hidden behind glasses held together by tape, classic _Revenge of the Nerds_ style. _Jimmy_. She stayed frozen beside Tim's body even as he came closer to her. She had no place to run, no place to hide. He jerked her up with surprising force, slamming her back into the row of blue lockers. She shook and whimpered as locked and steel jabbed and scratched her back. She couldn't look at him, but he grabbed her chin forcefully and lifted up, their eyes once again together.

"Are you scared?" Jimmy whispered, catching her looking at the gun. "Are you scared I'm gonna hurt you?" He leaned in, his breath on her neck. "You're just some dumb cheerleader that no one would miss. You're just like me."

**----CRIMSON TEARS----**

Nathan's heart was racing as he kneeled on the grass behind the line of police officers. He and Lucas had been in the gym when they had heard shooting, and they had taken off running. He felt goose bumps on his arms, his senses tingling from the adrenaline. He looked around. He wanted Haley. Haley would make him feel better; she'd make all this go away. He saw Brooke running to them, her face wet with tears. "You guys made it out all right?" she whispered.

"What happened?" Nathan asked, frantically searching for his wife. "We were in the gym and we heard the shots and people running and screaming and-"

"Someone was shooting in the school. I lost Peyton in the crowd. Lucas, I can't find her and I'm freaked out and I haven't seen Haley." Her voice quieted down as she looked at Nathan. "I don't think she made it out."

He turned back to the school. Tree Hill High, his stomping ground, his playground. He was the king of that domain. He wouldn't let someone take that power and play with it. "I have to find her," he mumbled, going toward the brick building. A cop pushed him back as he tried to break through their lines as Lucas grabbed his shoulders, holding him back. "No! Luke, Haley's in there! I have to save her!" He crumbled to the ground, looking up desperately at his brother. "Please, man. She's in there. My wife, my love, is in that building! She's probably hurt and scared and hiding in some dark, cold place to hide from some killer. And you know what? The only thought going through her mind is going to be praying for our safety- for yours', for mine, for Brooke's and Peyton's. And she's not going to have a thought about herself. I'm not gonna let her be alone. I can't. She's my wife, and I want to take all that pain away," he whispered, turning back to the building. "And so help me God, I'm not gonna let some asshole stand between us. Not anymore."

**----CRIMSON TEARS----**

Haley's breath was slow, calmer. She looked at Jimmy, still shoved against the wall, still fighting past the pain of the locks biting into her skin. "Am I scared of you Jimmy?" she whispered, her eyes watching him. "Why would I be scared of some poor, pathetic person like you?"

He slammed the gun against the side of her cheek, making her fall to her knees. "Don't call me that! Don't act like you know me! Don't act like you care because I could kill you! I knew you! I said 'hi' in the halls! You know what you did? You walked straight passed me to your _husband_. Straight past me to some jerk who's only purpose in life was to torment me! Do you know how that felt/ A knife stabbed into my heart and twisted again and again unmercifully. First Lucas and then Mouth and Skillz and Fergie and you! I hate you! I hate you all! You don't know me, but you act like you care!"

Haley sat there, taking in the deprecations as she put her hand to her left cheek, feeling the blood trickling down her cheek. Her eyes were on the gun, watching it wave around in the air precariously.

_"I'm sorry."_

His rants stopped, and he stared at her, somehow disbelieving her sincere voice. He shook his head, glaring at her. "No, you aren't! You're just sorry because you got caught!" He screamed, grabbing her arm, sending her flying into a dark classroom. She hit a desk, falling to the ground, gasping in pain.

They both heard a cough, and she turned to see Keith, his eyes widening when he saw her. "Keith," she whimpered, heading to him. He wrapped her in a hug, kissing her forehead, his eyes on Jimmy the whole time. "What-what are you doing here?"

"I was coming to talk to Whitey. Are you okay, sweetheart?" he asked, setting Haley in the corner, her body rocking with sobs as emotions poured over. He glanced back at Jimmy, staring at the door frightfully. He heard doors opening, men moving as quietly as possible in the halls. His knees were starting to ache from kneeling, but he moved closer to Haley, putting his hands on her arms. "Haley, are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

"He killed Tim. Keith, Tim didn't do anything. Tim didn't do anything and he killed him."

"You lying bch! Tim Smith tormented me my whole life, just like your little wimp as a husband. Where is he now, Haley? He's probably screwing some whore in the grass outside!" Jimmy yelled, coming closer. Keith stood up, his face stern.

"Don't you dare hurt her like that! Don't you speak to her like that! You're just some lost punk who thinks you're above everyone else just because you have a gun. Guess what? That just makes you a weak little boy."

"Is that what you think, old man?" Jimmy snarled, bringing the gun up to Keith's face.

"You wouldn't dare," Haley whimpered, looking up at him. "Go look around at all the damage you've caused and tell me why you think any of us care about you anymore? Please, tell me."

"Because I'm not afraid to get my revenge." He smiled darkly. "Not afraid at all."

**BANG!**

Haley was instantly covered with the spatter of Keith's blood, and her screams filled the room as his body dropped beside her, his lips twitching as blood spewed out. "Noooooooooooooooooooo!" she screamed, getting on her feet, coming toward Jimmy. "How could you? How the hell could you?" He gripped her arms, pushing her back. She tripped over a desk, falling back, feeling her hand and wrist _crack_ and _pop_. He picked her back up, seeing her lips move. Her voice came soft and clear.

She was singing _their_ song.

_Highway run  
Into the midnight sun  
Wheels go round and round  
You're on my mind  
Restless hearts  
Sleep alone tonight  
Sendin' all my love to you  
Along the wire._

They say that the road  
Ain't no place to start a family  
Right down the line  
It's been you and me  
And lovin' a music man  
Ain't always what it's supposed to be  
Oh girl you stand by me  
I'm forever yours-faithfully

Song credit: 'Faithfully' by Journey. I do not own the lyrics or music to "Faithfully" nor do I own the characters of "One Tree Hill".


	2. Chapter 2

-1**Chapter two: With Tired Hearts We Face A Monster  
**  
Nathan let the police officer put a black bullet proof vest on him, feeling them tighten it around his chest. He had told them that they either let him come or that he was finding an open window and going through that. They'd agreed he could come if he stayed behind them, way behind them. He took out his wedding ring, pressing a sweet kiss to it before stuffing it back under his shirt, glancing at Luke, who was also wearing a vest.

**----CRIMSON TEARS----**

Haley sat against a wall, staring at Keith's body. "Why'd did you shoot him?" she asked in wonder, looking up at Jimmy. "You couldn't honestly hate him. He never made fun of you. He just told the truth." She stared up at him, her eyes red from crying. "I mean, I can see why you'd kill me. Somehow I didn't pay attention. But, truthfully, how many people do you pay attention to? How many people walked by in the halls, craving your friendship, and you just walked by?"

"Do not compare me to _them_!" he snapped, glaring at her. "And how would _you_ know? You're the princess of the school, married to the jock, the perfect life."

"The perfect life? You obviously didn't hear about me leaving my husband? The hell he put himself through because of me? The hurt I caused? Before you go feeling sorry for yourself, maybe you should have looked at him in the time capsule. Don't feel sorry for yourself; I certainly don't. I don't think I ever will," she whispered, hearing the shouting from the police. He glanced at her, standing up, jerking her up. He forced her through the door, into the waiting convoy of police officers. She let out a tiny gasp of shock when she saw Nathan in the back, Lucas holding him from running forward.

Then she felt the steel of a gun in her jaw, the safety click out of place. _Oh God, I'm going to die. Right here, in front of my husband_ ran through her mind, and she gulped, seeing Nathan freeze in fear. _I love him. I love him so much_.

"Son, you need to let the girl go," one of the black clothed, black masked men said, calm and collected.

Jimmy laughed, grabbing her arm tighter. "Yeah right. She's my…insurance. I let her go, I'm dead within a few seconds."

"You don't do it and you'll be dead anyway," the negotiator threatened, looking at Haley. "Are you doing okay, sweetheart?" She took a deep breath, looking up at him.

"Do I look okay?" she asked, her heart quickening. "I'm not okay. I'm being used as a freaking human shield, and I just saw someone die. I have his blood all over me. I'm definitely not okay. Not even remotely close to it." Her eyes met Nathan's, who mouthed 'I love you' to her. 'Baby, I love you. Always and forever.'

Jimmy's grip was bruising, and she struggled against his body, feeling the gun jab into her jaw even more. "Shut up!" he ordered, pulling her back into the room. He shoved her against the wall, closing the door. "Sit down!" She slid down the wall to the ground, pulling her feet into her chest. She closed her eyes, taking some deep, calming breaths.

_You ask how long I'll love you  
It's hard to explain but I'll try  
Tell me how long has the sun been shining  
Above us in the sky _

Till the last day of forever,  
If I had it my way we'll stay together  
Till the rivers run dry I'll be loving you  
Till the mountains have crumbled  
I'll always be true  
And if for some reason you say goodbye  
Ask me how long I would cry  
Till all the rivers run dry

Haley murmured the words, letting them calm her body. She remembered him singing this, whispering it in her ear after they had made love in the darkness of his huge house during the storm a week ago. His breath had warmed her cold neck, her heart warmed by the words. She had been disturbed that he knew the words to an R.E.O. Speedwagon song, considering that it wasn't rap, but he did. He had sung to her, then wrapped his arms around her body before going to sleep, carrying her to dreams with him.

A negotiator's calm voice brought her out of her thoughts, and she looked at Jimmy. He turned on the tv, and she watched with interest at the image of her high school being splayed across the tv screen. "It has now been brought to the attention of the press that the shooter, now confirmed as a student of the school, has taken another student hostage. Officers have said that at least three are dead and a dozen others injured. Police officers are now in negotiations with the shooter, but he is not responding to talks."

Haley looked at Jimmy. "Too bad they don't know your name. Then you'd have the attention of the whole world. Wouldn't you like that?" she whispered sarcastically, turning back to the news.

"Again, there are reports of a deadly school shooting in Tree Hill, North Carolina, at Tree Hill High School. Most of the faculty and student body have been evacuated, but it is still being reported that the shooter has taken at least one student hostage."

Deb Scott gasped as she watched the tv, desperately hoping on the tiny blimps identified as students was Nathan. She threw on her jacket, grabbing her keys. Once in her car, Deb turned to the radio for more information on the massacre. She prayed for Nathan and Haley's safety.

"Now….now we are having conflicting reports come in about the identity about both the shooter and the hostage. The shooter is being identified as Jimmy Edwards by several callers. He is an 18-year old senior, and the hostage is being identified as 17-year old Haley James Scott. Again, neither of these have been confirmed by spokesmen from the school or police officers. Please keep tuned in as we gather more information."

Lydia and Jimmy James sat back as they heard the news, gripping the seats of their RV in horror.

**----CRIMSON TEARS----**

Haley looked at Jimmy, smiling harshly. "Oops, never mind," she whispered sarcastically, smirking at him.

Outside, Nathan stared at the door of the classroom, as if he could see past it to his wife inside. He sat back against the wall, pulling his long legs into his chest, his elbows resting on his knees, his hands covering his eyes, his body racked with sobs. "Nathan?" Lucas whispered, sitting beside his brother. "Nathan, it's going to be okay."

"How can you say that. He had a gun to her **face**, Lucas. She must be so scared-so scared.

"She's strong, Nathan. She has something to live for, and that's you. She's gonna stay strong because she has you. You can't give up on her, or your faith that she's going to get out alive. Because once you give up, you will lose all of her," Lucas comforted his brother, rubbing his hand across his back soothingly.

"She's strong…so strong," Nathan whispered, his lips forming familiar words.

_This path that we're walking  
May be rough and rocky sometimes  
But we'll believe in one another  
Whatever we find _

And when you need a hand to guide you  
I will be there walking beside you  
Till the river runs dry

Haley whispered, closing her eyes. All she needed was faith. She needed to believe that she was going to survive. Nathan was going to need her there, she couldn't give up on that.

"Why don't you just shut up with the songs?" Jimmy snapped, looking at her irritably, tossing the gun from one hand to the other. "What's so special about it? Why is it important…it's really stupid if you ask me."

"Well, I didn't, did I?" she snapped back, standing up. "I don't really care about your opinion."

Jimmy laughed, looking up at her. "Watch it, Haley. Something could hurt you."

She shook her head, looking out the window. It was the afternoon, the sun shining brightly. How could such a bright , happy day turn into something so dreary? She turned back to Jimmy, watching him also eye the window nervously. "What's wrong, Jimmy? Scared someone might stab you in the back?"

Haley sat back down, away from him. She watched her hands as they trembled, removing her beloved wedding ring. She noticed the small nick on it from where she had scratched it while on tour, the faded fingerprint Nathan had left as he put it back on her. She gulped, looking up at Jimmy.

"One last chance, sir. Release the girl, give us the gun and surrender or we will be forced to take drastic measures!" the negotiator yelled, and Haley looked up at Jimmy.

"Just do it! Is this really worth getting killed over?" she yelled, looking up at him, tears in her eyes.

"I just killed people! Everyone in this town will hate me!" Jimmy screamed, his eyes frightened as he looked at her. "GET UP!" He yelled, coming over, shoving desks out of his way in the process. She crammed her body into the corner, but it was no use against the enraged teen. She backed away from him, her eyes plastered on the gun as he raised it, leveling it at her head.

"No, Jimmy, please, no…"

"Why? It'll end my misery. You die, I die, there's nothing left but pieces to put together."

"Jimmy, I have a husband that I love. Please, no. I'm begging you, no!"

"Your husband doesn't love you. He's just using you."

"How can you say that? No he isn't! He waited for me! For three months he waited. He loves me," she whispered, watching the gun. "Just because you don't have anyone who loves you-"

She screamed.

A single bullet shattered the window and entered Jimmy's head. His gun fell to the ground, landing with a deafening crash onto the cold floor. She pushed herself against the wall, trying to back up as far away as possible. She slid down the wall, tears overtaking her body, and she cried, her head in her hands.

She heard the door open, but she didn't move her hands. "Mrs. Scott, you okay?" a soothing voice whispered as a police officer kneeled beside her. "It's okay, Haley, it's okay."

"No," she whimpered, jerking away from his hand. "Nathan…I want Nathan." The cop nodded, moving away , signaling that Nathan could come forward. She was still crying, legs hugged into her chest as tight as possible, and he kneeled to her side, pushing back a tendril of her beautiful hair, now spattered and matted with blood. He took off the vest, knowing she needed to feel him next to her to comfort her. He gently, so gently, put an arm behind her back, his other under her knees, and he lifted her up, letting her cling to him as he stood, looking at the officer.

She sobbed softly into his neck, and he looked down at her, kissing her forehead softly. "It'll be alright, Haley," he whispered, knowing he needed these words just as much as she did. "Everything's okay now. I have you."

_When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me,  
speaking words of wisdom, let it be.  
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me,  
speaking words of wisdom, let it be. _

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.  
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.

**----CRIMSON TEARS----**

Song credit: 'Till the River Runs Dry' by R.E.O. Speedwagon and "Let It Be" by the Beatles. I do not own the lyrics or music to "Till the river runs dry" or "Let it be" nor do I own the characters of "One Tree Hill".


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Wasting Away on Guilt**

_And when the broken hearted people  
Living in the world agree,  
There will be an answer, let it be.  
For though they may be parted there is  
Still a chance that they will see  
There will be an answer, let it be.  
Let it be, let it be. yeah  
There will be an answer, let it be._

Nathan watched the clock on the wall as it ticked by the minutes. He hated the hospital; he always had, he always would. He had his ring in his hands, looking at it, studying it. He unlocked the chain, letting the ring fall into his calloused palm before quickly sliding it on his finger. It felt awkward there, probably because he hadn't worn it in so long. But it was still a perfect fit; he'd have to start practicing wearing it during practice and stuff.

He couldn't stand watching the tv anymore. He didn't want to hear about the shooting, he didn't want to hear about Jimmy, he just wanted his girl. She was somewhere behind the green 'ER' doors, being taken care of by the best staff possible. She had cried in his arms as he had walked down the halls, and his heart nearly broke when she wouldn't stop, no matter how many kisses he gave her or how many 'I love you's he spoke. She was distraught, and for once in their fledgling relationship, he didn't know how to fix her, to make her feel all right.

"Here, man," Lucas whispered, handing over a steaming cup of coffee. Even though it was 1:15 in the afternoon, Nathan needed that coffee. He needed something to take his mind off of this afternoon. He was riding on the guilt trip from hell, and he shouldn't; there was _nothing_ Nathan could have done more than what he already did for Haley. Lucas sat down beside his brother, looking at him. "Nat-"

"NATHAN!"

Both boys' heads turned to see Lydia and Jimmy James running down the corridor, Deb Scott trailing at their heels. Immediately, Nathan stood, hugging Lydia and his mother tight. His tears were running freely. No one saw him cry; no one except Haley. And Peyton. She had seen him break down once, after one of his father's deprecating lectures. He looked to Lucas; he had carried Peyton, worn and tired after trying to find her way out of the courtyard after being shot. "Lucas," he asked in a hoarse voice, wiping away his tears. "How's Peyton?"

"She'll be fine. She got shot in her leg, but Brooke's up with her now and the doctor says that she'll be okay," Lucas answered, nodding to the person behind Nathan. "Nate, I think the doctor wants to see you." Nathan turned, looking at the small woman in scrubs.

"Are You Nathan Scott?" the doctor asked, wiping back a piece of sweaty hair.

"Uh, yes, ma'am. Is Haley okay?" Nathan asked, his eyes looking from the doctor, to his mother, to his parents-in-law.

"First off, it's Doctor Pryor. Haley's okay, she had a minor fracture of her wrist and some pretty bad bruises; we did an x-ray on her cheek, and there was no fracture, no break, so it's just a pretty deep laceration." Nathan looked up hopefully. "However, she is shell-shocked about what happened. I mean, she watched two people die. That would have an affect on anyone. We gave her a sedative to keep her relaxed and we'll probably be keeping her under observation for a few days. If you want to go home and get her some comfortable clothes, I'm sure she wants to get out of the hospital gown."

"Nathan," Lydia whispered, lightly touching his arm as he fell into the seat, hands covering his face as he cried. It seemed like he had cried more today than he ever had. "Oh, Nathan. Sssh, sweetheart, she'll be okay. My Haley's a fighter. You have to be strong for her."

"No! I am so freaking tired of being strong. I watched my wife almost die today! It ripped my heart in two. You don't know what that's like, Mrs. James. I saw that bastard point a gun to her, and there was nothing I could do," Nathan said as the sobs overtook him.

And that was it. His biggest fear: not being able to protect his wife.

Deb kneeled in front of her son, putting her hands on his knees. "Nathan. Nathan, listen to me," she whispered comfortingly, slowly moving his hands from his eyes. "Haley needs the strong you right now. She needs the person she can cry on and not have to risk having you break down. So cry all you want right now, okay baby? Get it all out. Because once you go in that room, to your wife, you have to be the strong Nathan again. And I know you're hurt, but your love for your wife will help you heal."

"Deb, it's nice to see you again," a voice sneered behind them. Dan Scott had arrived. "I see you have my son crying like a pansy only you could turn him in to."

"Dan, get out," Deb said, standing up. Lucas moved in front of his brother, his protective side showing through. "And don't call him your son."

"Well, seeing as how I didn't _leave_ for weeks without calling-"

"STOP IT!" Nathan shouted, standing up. "I will not have you two fighting in here! Mom, thank you for coming. You can stay at the house for however long you want, and will you please go with Mr. and Mrs. James and get Haley some clothes from the apartment? Um, her favorite gray sweats are in her top drawer, and there is a blue jacket that Brooke made hanging on the back of the bedroom door. Will you grab that, too? And she's got one of my white t-shirts in the drawer with her sweats, get that. Mr. and Mrs. James, do you mind going there and maybe calling Karen?"

"Of course not, honey. And when we get back, we're gonna have a little talk about why Haley's not sharing that big ole house with you." Lydia winked, kissing Nathan's cheek before taking Deb's hand, leading her out. Nathan took a deep breath, looking at his father.

"And Dad, why don't you just leave? Haley doesn't need you insulting her, and I don't want you here to criticize her," Nathan said, looking to Luke for support. He nodded. "I'm gonna go see Haley, if you're not gone by the time I get back, I will ask the hospital to make the dear old mayor leave."

Dr. Pryor was waiting for him at the steps, and she gave him a huge smile as he caught up with her. "Nice family, huh?" he said.

"I've seen worse, believe me. So those are your parents?"

"Yeah. They don't exactly belong to the Haley fan club. They didn't like the fact that we got married so young; actually, my father didn't like her before that."

"Well, she was good for you, wasn't she?"

"The best," Nathan whispered as they stopped outside of the red door with S23 stamped on the plate. It had to be fate, that number. They me on the 23rd day of October, and she came back the 23rd day of May, and they got together for the 2nd time on the 23rd day of November. She had 23 tattooed on her body, and he wore it on his jersey.

He opened the door, peering inside at the serene world. The walls were white, insanely white. He didn't like it. Haley was curled up in the bed, her fractured arm pulled close to her body, wrapped in an ace bandage and a splint. There were butterfly stitches across her cheek, and he realized that it was wrong.

It was wrong because he wasn't there beside her.

Gently, he pulled back the covers, moving to sit on the side she was curled up on. When he laid down, she reacted to his body, snuggling into his side, head resting on his chest. He sighed, watching her, protecting her as only a husband could. And as his hand trailed up and down his body, he could feel it, in time with his. Their heartbeats.

**----CRIMSON TEARS----**

Doctor Lisa Pryor came to Tree Hill nearly twelve years ago in hopes that she could have a calm internship. The shooting at the high school today not only rattled her nerves, but it also made her realize that even small towns had their problems. Right now, tv crews were crowded around the entrance of the hospital: they had four people in ICU with gunshots, they had lost another girl, and the head doctor was on vacation for a week in the most remote part of the world she knew and she was in charge.

Needless to say, she was stressed.

"Dr. Pryor?" She recognized that voice. It was Haley Scott's husband, obviously on his way back to his wife's room. He had a bag of clothes in one hand and some coffee in the other.

"Yes, Mr. Scott?"

"Call me Nathan. I'm no where near a Mr. yet. I was just making sure you were okay. You look a little…"

"Stressed?" Dr. Pryor answered for him. He nodded. "Yeah, I am. Dr. Chase is the head of surgery and recovery…basically, he's head of the hospital and he deals with the press and whatnot and he's gone for five more days to some place in Nepal with his wife for their fiftieth wedding anniversary." She sighed again, looking to the young man. "How's your wife doing?"

"She's still sleeping. Her parents just brought me some clothes for her and everything. Do you think she'll wake up soon?" You couldn't mistake the utter aloneness in his eyes, nor the lost feeling he sheltered with his wife being asleep, away from him.

"She should wake up within the hour. If she doesn't, just tell them to page me. Oh, the press are asking for an update in her condition…"

"Please don't tell them. It's none of their business. My wife wouldn't want that."

"Then it's settled. Don't worry, I'll keep it mum. Go to your wife, Nathan. I'll be by during rounds to check up on her. There'll probably be a nurse by soon to give her some more sedatives."

Nathan nodded, turning back to Haley's hospital room. He opened the hospital door as quietly as possible, instantly feeling bad because he had left the tv up loud on ESPN. He quickly turned it down, switching it to A&E, Haley's secret passion. He looked at the clothes in his hands after he set down his coffee, wondering if his wife would feel more comfortable with Brooke doing this or him. It didn't really matter; Brooke was upstairs with Peyton, who he still needed to go see.

He gently turned his wife on the back, hearing her hiss in pain. He reached around her, untying the strings to her hospital gown. He slipped her fragile arms out of the gown, quickly putting her shirt on before letting the top part of the gown fall. He kissed her forehead, pushing the blanket off of her. Her smooth white legs shivered in the cold, and he quickly put the sweat pants on one foot, then the other, sliding them up before lifting her up to pull the up to rest on her hips comfortably. He pulled the gown away from her.

This was when he felt he loved his wife the most- when she wasn't the rockstar, the tutor, the valedictorian; he loved her then, too, but he loved it when she was herself, the girl who loved sweats and big t-shirts while eating ice cream and watching A&E with him during late nights.

But the only person he'd ever admit that to would be Haley herself.

**----CRIMSON TEARS----**

Why did it feel like she had been knocked out by a train? She coughed, her eyes too heavy to lift. The right side of her face felt like it was on fire, and she struggled to fight past that pain. She heard something strange, unfamiliar, but she recognized that she had heard it somewhere before. If only she could open her eyes.

"Haley?"

Now she recognized it clearly. It was that husky, sexy voice that she loved. _His_ voice.

She willed her eyes to open, one hand grasping the sheets in pain, the other, she couldn't curl her fingers.

Then they opened. Chocolate met ocean blue in a wave of passion and regreat, and he was hugging her tightly.

"Nathan?" she whispered, her voice hoarse. He immediately placed a cup to her lips and let her have several small sips of water. She tried speaking again, more confident with every little butterfly kiss he placed on her forehead. "Nathan? Where am I?" She had looked around the room, and she couldn't place it. It wasn't Brooke's girls' haven, and it wasn't Nathan's warm and boyish room. She couldn't place it. She looked back at him, her eyes widening as the memories flooded in.

**_BANG!!_**

Tim.

The shooter-dull, brown eyes hidden behind glasses held together by tape, classic Revenge of the Nerds style. Jimmy

Keith.

She felt the steel of a gun in her jaw, the safety click out of place. _**Oh God, I'm going to die. Right here, in front of my husband** ran through her mind, and she gulped, seeing Nathan freeze in fear. **I love him. I love him so much**. _

A single bullet shattered the window and entered Jimmy's head. His gun fell to the ground, landing with a deafening crash onto the cold floor.

She was still crying, legs hugged into her chest as tight as possible, and he kneeled to her side, pushing back a tendril of her beautiful hair, now spattered and matted with blood. He took off the vest, knowing she needed to feel him next to her to comfort her. He gently, so gently, put an arm behind her back, his other under her knees, and he lifted her up, letting her cling to him as he stood, looking at the officer.

She sobbed softly into his neck, and he looked down at her, kissing her forehead softly. "It'll be alright, Haley," he whispered, knowing he needed these words just as much as she did. "Everything's okay now. I have you."

"Haley?" Nathan's calm voice whispered, kissing her temple to catch her attention. He was sitting beside her on the bed, and she turned to him, tears running down her face, and she cried into his chest as his arms encircled her, rubbing smooth circle on her back. "No…God no," she whimpered, letting her pain flood over her body as she broke down in her husband's arms.

**----CRIMSON TEARS----**

Song credit: "Let It Be" by the Beatles. I do not own the lyrics or music to "Let it be", nor do I own the characters of "One Tree Hill".


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Bury the Demons, Say Goodbye to the Past**

_Another turning point  
A fork stuck in the road  
Time grabs you by the wrist  
Directs you where to go  
So make the best of this test  
And don't ask why  
It's not a question  
But a lesson learned in time  
It's something unpredictable  
But in the end is right  
I hope you had the time of your life_

Haley clung to Nathan for what seemed like hours, soaking his black polo with tears. He ran his hands through her hair, keeping her tight into his body, reassuring her that he was there, that he wasn't going to let go. "Ssssh, baby," he whispered, hearing her cough and sputter as the tears came out.

"I just want to go home," she whimpered, sitting up to look into his eyes. "Please, Nathan, I just want to go home."

He lifted his big hand, wiping her tears off of her face. "I want you to, too. I love you with all my heart, and I want you the come home," he whispered into her ear, pulling back to look at him. She was staring at him, her eyes wider than usual. She was surprised. "I don't want anything to hurt you, Hales, never again. So please, come home."

Haley smiled, her first smile since that morning, early that morning. "C-c-ome home?"

He nodded, taking both her hands in his. "We've spent enough time without one another. This is stupid-me living in that big house all by myself and you in that tiny apartment." She leaned in, kissing his lips softly. It was her approval; her yes to his request; it was a small sliver of her normal self returning. She leaned in, letting him hug her again. She placed a whispery kiss on his neck, leaning her forehead into the crook of his neck. "Maybe…maybe you want to talk about what happened?"

Her head shot up, and she shook her head, pushing away. "No, no, no, no, no!" she yelled, tears forming again. She was that tiny fragile girl again, and he grasped her tightly, letting her hit his chest as she struggled. "No…please, Nathan…no…"

"Haley, ssshh, it's okay to talk about it. It's okay to be hurt by it."

"How…how is this okay? Please tell me how this is _remotely_ okay, cause I don't see it. Nathan, someone decided it was okay to _shoot_ people. And I saw him _kill_ people right in front of me. He was going to shoot me. He wanted to hurt me," Haley whispered, her face pressed tightly into her polo so that he could barely hear her.

"Haley, I know baby. But you are so much stronger than that guy.."

_"Jimmy."_

"What, Haley?"

"His name was Jimmy. Nathan, I used to know him. _Luke_ used to know him."

Nathan's eyes watched her carefully, watching the pain and anguish of what had happen passing through her eyes. "Are you blaming yourself?" he questioned, shock registering in his voice. "Haley, you can't blame yourself. Friends break apart and loose interest in one another. Some friendships never fade, but others do. It happens…"

"You know, he told me all this was fake. He said that you really didn't love me, that he hated me and that you could care less. _You lying bitch! Tim Smith tormented me my whole life, just like your little wimp as a husband. Where is he now, Haley? He's probably screwing some whore in the grass outside!_. That's what he told me, Nathan. Those words keep running through my mind. _Where is he now, Haley? He's probably screwing some whore in the grass outside!_"

Nathan closed his eyes, not wanting to hear more. How could someone think that about him? When did he….he didn't remember every bullying a kid named Jimmy….he normally wasn't a bully…just with Lucas…

A chubby kid, walking by him the hall. The seniors on Varsity dared him to, and he tripped up the kid, calling him a fag and laughing along with the rest of them as the poor kid got up, his head hung low, and walked away, humiliated.

_Jimmy_.

He felt the tears escaping, the warm liquid dripping onto Haley's hair. "I would never do that to you, Haley. I would never…"

"Did you do it, Nathan?"

"Do what?"

"Make fun of him? Torture him with Tim?"

"Once. We were freshmen, and the seniors dared me to. I knocked him over, I called him some not so nice names…"

"When you were freshmen? That's such a long time ago…"

"Time doesn't heal all wounds, Haley," Nathan whispered, kissing her forehead. "And about me screwing some whore in the grass while you were in there…" He stopped as she cut him off with a kiss, gentle and perfect.

"No. I know that wasn't true. I saw you out there, waiting for me. I felt you there. And more than that, I know you would never leave me in my time of need," she whispered, closing her eyes as she felt sleep take over. That's what she needed….she need to rest. She needed to heal from this thing, or else her whole life she'd be miserable remembering the what ifs or the hows.

**----CRIMSON TEARS----**

"Brooke, I swear, if you don't get out of here I am going to scream and throw something at you!" Peyton yelled, glaring at her brunette friend as Brooke tried to fluff her pillow for the fifth time in twenty minutes. Peyton loved Brooke to death, but she was seriously thinking about harming her if she didn't stop being the over-exuberant fluffy nurse from hell.

"Peyton, what is wrong?" Brooke asked innocently, reaching out a hand to fluff the pillow.

"What is the matter? I HAVE A FRIGGIN' BULLET HOLE IN MY LEG AND YOU WANT TO FLUFF MY PILLOW! I don't need it fluffed, I don't need any ice cream, magazines, more pain meds, bandages, blankets, clothes, broody hot guys, cheerful hot guys, sexy hot guys, guys in general-well, maybe a good lay, but not from the guys you'd pick out-, books, music, CDs, magazines, teddy bears, flowers, WHATEVER! OUT! JUST GET OUT!"

"Fine. When the bitch bug stops biting you, let me know, P. Sawyer," Brooke replied with a smile, fluffing her friend's pillow one last time before running out of the room. Peyton let out a sigh of relief-finally- and prepared to take a nice little nap-

And then came the knocking at the door. "My karma must be totally screwed," Peyton said, looking at the door, wondering if her visitor was Brooke waving a white flag, Luke coming to have a heart-to-heart with her, her father, grandparents, or uncle coming to baby her, or one of the slew of other people coming to flaunt their freedom in front of her. "Come in," she yelled, surprised when Haley popped in the room, Nathan following behind her. Peyton had been in the hospital for two days, and she had yet to see either of them. "Hey, Hales."

"Hey, Peyt," Haley greeted, giving the girl a warm, fake smile as she leaned in to hug her. "We were just leaving, so we thought we'd stop by."

"Well, good…I needed some visitors. And how are you, Nathan?"

"Fine as I can be," Nathan replied, giving her a hug. "How are you?"

"Brooke is being annoying, my leg hurts, and I've had my pillow fluffed fifty bazillion times today." Peyton paused. "Wait? You were just leaving?"

"Haley's been here for the past two days, Peyton; that guy held her hostage…" Nathan answered for his wife, feeling her grip his hand tightly.

"What? How come I haven't heard about that?" She looked at Haley, who's face had gone blank. "Are you okay?"

"No, not really. But…I'll survive." She looked up at Nathan, who smiled encouragingly. "I'll move on. It's just gonna take some time. A lot of time." Nathan wrapped his arms around her shoulders, kissing her forehead lightly. "But I have people here to help. We all have people here to help us."

**----CRIMSON TEARS----**

"Are you sure you want to do this, Haley? I know Keith wouldn't mind-"

"But I would, Lucas. I told you, I need closure on this. And I need Keith to know that I'm sorry…that I'm sorry for not doing more," Haley whispered, looking at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a black dress, simple, with her hair pulled back into a graceful updo.

"Haley, listen to me," Lucas said, turning her around to look at him, letting her absentmindedly fix his tie, knowing that it calmed her. "Keith wouldn't have wanted you to do any more than what you did. He was proud of you, I know it, so don't argue, okay? Don't kill yourself over this-"

"That goes the same for you, Lucas," Haley whispered as Nathan entered the room. He had just been talking with Karen, comforting and consoling her. "Hey, you. We thought you were going to be here like twenty minutes ago." He walked over to her, hugging her tight. Yesterday, they had buried his best friend. He took it badly, couldn't even stay to watch the end of the service after he spoke. Haley had wanted to go after him, but Lucas put a hand on her shoulder and went instead.

_He found him at the Rivercourt, watching the court from the picnic table. "I'm not even gonna ask how you're doing," Lucas commented, sitting beside his brother. This was a sight, to have them both in suit and tie, Lucas' face erupting in concern as his brother's was close to breakdown. "I'm sorry, man." _

"When we were ten years old, Tim and I used to take chalk and write things on my court at home…and on dare night, we had to dress up like Lady Leprechauns and go sell cookies and Tim was really into it and…" Nathan stopped, as if realizing that it wasn't Tim beside him anymore.

"I know, Nathan, I know…"

"It hurts real bad, man. I-Tim's gone."

"I know, Nate."

"Like he's never gonna be coming back gone."

"I know."

"And it feels like my heart has been stabbed in two."

"I know."

"I've never had anything hurt so bad." Nathan turned to his brother, letting the tears drip down his face. "How can Tim-how can he-"

Lucas grabbed his brother in the tightest of hugs, comforting him as only a brother could.

"You ready to do this, bro?" Lucas asked cautiously, not knowing how emotionally wrecked Nathan was. He had decided that no one should have to go through that, least of all his baby brother. They hadn't been on the right track with this brother thing…especially not since Lucas lied to Nathan's face. But it had gotten better since they had to move to that little, old, rusty gym…and at the concert, they had buried the hatchet and agreed to start over.

"No, but I wasn't ready to bury my best friend either," Nathan answered, sighing. "I think your mom's gonna need you though, Lucas. That's where I've been; trying to comfort your mom. I called my mom, she's gonna come over and stay a couple days with Karen…"

"Good. Nate, you're welcome to stay too, if you need anything…" Lucas offered.

"Thanks, man. I might…"

"No problem. There's an open door here if you need if, okay?"

Nathan nodded, looking to his wife, taking her hand. "Let's do this."

_And when the night is cloudy,  
There is still a light that shines on me,  
Shine on until tomorrow, let it be.  
I wake up to the sound of music  
Mother Mary comes to me  
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.  
Let it be, let it be.  
There will be an answer, let it be.  
Let it be, let it be,  
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be._

**----CRIMSON TEARS----**

Song credit: "Good Riddance" by Greenday and "Let It Be" by the Beatles; I do not own the lyrics or music to "Good Riddance" or "Let It Be", nor do I own the characters of "One Tree Hill".


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: Say Goodbye So Sweetly, So Softly**

_So take the photographs  
and still frames in your mind  
hang it on a shelf  
good health and good time  
tattoos of memories  
and dead skin on trail  
for what it's worth  
it was worth all the while  
It's something unpredictable  
But in the end is right  
I hope you had the time of your life_

Karen hugged Deb tightly as she opened the front door, so happy her fried was back. "You have no idea how much I've missed you," Karen whispered, pushing back the woman to take in her new appearance. "I missed you at the hospital, apparently."

"Well, we'll have a lot of time to catch up on. How are you holding up, Karen?"

"I'm holding. Andy's coming back into town…so are Royal and Mae and I have the café…"

"But you still need time?"

"Yeah. I hear Nathan isn't holding up so well, either," Karen said, looking at her son's closed door.

"He isn't. He came home last night crying….thank Lucas for for me for bringing him home alive. And not drunk."

"Why, you're welcome, Deb," Lucas commented, coming out of his room. She jumped, turning around to face him.

"Don't scare me like that, Lucas!" she whispered, giving him a big hug. "It's so good to see you again." Her own son walked up to her, giving her the biggest hug he could muster. "How are you feeling, baby?"

"I don't want to do this, Mom. I don't know if I can," Nathan answered, his voice so young, reminding her of when he was eight and nine, begging her not to leave him alone with his father.

"You can do this, Nathan. I know you can. You're strong, baby, and you have people beside you that will support you. You know that. I know that," Deb whispered, kissing his bowed forehead. "I love you, Nathan. Stay strong, okay? Just stay strong a little bit longer." Nathan nodded, looking at her. He felt Haley grip his hand, lacing their fingers together tightly. "Hello, Haley."

"Hi, Mrs. Scott," Haley whispered.

"Actually, it's Lee now. You would be the only Mrs. Scott among us," Deb answered with a smile, giving the girl a light hug. "Will your parents be there today?"

"Yes, ma'am," Haley answered, turning back to Nathan, reaching up to kiss him. "You sure you're okay? We don't have to go."

"Yes we do. I need this, and so do you," he answered, wrapping an arm around her waist. "We can do this."

**----CRIMSON TEARS----**

Haley stood in front of Keith's coffin, her fingers nervously wrapping around one another. She bit her lip, not sure if she could stand here and not break down. Her shoulders heaved, and she watched, almost as if she was waiting for him to wake up. After all, he looked so alive, but asleep. "Hey," she whispered, biting her lip. "Thank you. Thank you so much, Keith." She leaned in, taking his hand and kissing his forehead. "I miss you. I miss you so much. I know that Lucas does, too."

She felt her husband's hand on hers', and immediately their fingers laced together in that invisible connection that only they had. He kissed her temple, looking down at Keith. "Thank you, Uncle Keith. Thank you for protecting her for me. And keep…will you keep looking down on us from heaven? I mean, if it's only from time-to-time, that's okay, but we all need you to look down on us-me, Haley, my mom, Karen, Lucas…even Dan. I know you two were in a rough spot, but he'll still need you to look down on him every so often. Thanks Keith. I know we didn't exactly get to know each other, well…_well_, but I miss you all the same, and I love you. Bye."

Haley smiled up at Nathan, silently thanking him. HE leaned down, kissing her again. 'you okay?" she asked, to which he nodded.

"I need to be with Luke right now, so, can you…"

"I'm gonna be sitting by your mother," Haley whispered, moving out of the way, giving Luke a light squeeze on the arm, then a hug.

Nathan turned to his brother, biting his lip as he came over. "He looks so peaceful, doesn't he?" Lucas commented, looking up at his brother. His brother, for so many years he didn't think he could depend on him. But now…now…he was so much more. He was more than his enemy, a casual friend…he was finally what Lucas wanted…a brother. And right now, Lucas needed his brother.

"Yeah, he does. You gonna be okay to do this, Luke? I know I wasn't…with Tim. It hurt and I…I was lucky to have you here…to help me; if you need any help…"

"I know," Lucas answered, glancing at his brother. "I'll be okay. But, maybe we can go talk after this….cause I don't think I'm gonna be okay then."

**----CRIMSON TEARS----**

"So what do we do now?" Nathan asked as he threw Lucas the basketball, loosening his tie and unbuttoning the first two buttons on his dress shirt.

"What do you mean?" Lucas asked, making the shot.

"What do we do? How do we go on normally? What do we consider normal? How am I supposed to face that school again? How am I supposed to walk by Tim's house _every day_ and not break down? How is Haley supposed to not have nightmares?" Nathan looked earnestly into Lucas' eyes, his face contorted in pain. "How are you supposed to walk by the body shop, or how is your mom supposed to look at her engagement ring?"

"I don't know, Nathan. I don't have the answers anymore."

Nathan smiled a little. "But I thought you were supposed to be wise and nerdy." Lucas laughed, passing the ball to Nathan, watching him dunk it.

"Oh, I am, but I don't exactly know about this, Nathan. I don't know how to cope, how to deal. I don't know how I'm supposed to get through this, let alone you or Haley or my mom…I just don't know anymore," Lucas yelled, looking up at the sky. "Did you hear that? I DON"T KNOW! GOD! I DON"T KNOW!"

"Luke!" Nathan called, grabbing his brother's arm. "Luke, it's okay."

"I'm gonna ask you how the _hell_ this is freaking okay?" Lucas snapped, pushing his brother back. "Don't tell me I can cry and it'll make me feel better cause it didn't work for you either."

Lucas sat down on the picnic table, running his hands through his hair. Nathan sat beside him, looking at his brother. "Now, haven't we been here before?"

"Yeah," Lucas laughed, cracking his knuckles as they both watched the river. "How do you say goodbye?"

"I wouldn't know; I haven't said it yet," Nathan answered, shrugging his shoulders. "At Tim's funeral, it felt like someone was trying to rip me apart…like take away an arm, or a leg. And I couldn't fight them. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't fight that pull, and then, it was gone. I think that was my breaking point. I couldn't stand being around everyone else, and it hurt even worse to think about all those memories…like on dare night and before, when it used to be him and me when we used to pick on you. I remember all his dumb sayings, his Tim time, his home dawgs and Nate dawgs…those memories tear me up inside."

"I remember most all those times Keith told me he was proud of me…even if Dan wasn't. Like when we were in junior leagues, and Dan said that I didn't play half as well as you did, and Keith came up behind me and told me that no matter what Dan said, I still was the best player in his heart," Lucas told his brother, looking back at the court. "He was the one who helped me clean this place up when you and the other guys decided it would be fun to trash it."

"Did Keith ever talk about me?"

Lucas looked over at Nathan, eyes questioning. "Did he ever mention me? We both talk about these memories…well, I just wonder if Keith would remember me."

"He had a picture of you up in his office. It always made me so jealous, because even though you wouldn't condescend to talk to him, he still loved you. Of course Keith would remember you, Nathan. You were his nephew, too."

"So how do we cope with these memories?" Nathan asked the sky quietly, biting his bottom lip. "And will the pain ever go away?"

"Someday, little brother; someday it will." Lucas smiled at Haley as she came up, getting off the bench. "I'll see you later, Nathan; I have some memories to find."

Nathan nodded, finally noticing his wife standing there. "Hey, Hales," he whispered, patting the spot beside him. She leaned her head on his shoulder, letting him kiss her temple. "I miss him."

"Keith?"

"Yeah. And Tim. I miss them all."

"I know."

"It hurts."

"I know, baby. And I know that they all miss you, too." She brought his hand up to her lips, kissing it. "But it'll get better. You have your brother here, and your mom."

"And I have you, too, right?"

"Of course, Nathan. You'll always have me here. Always and forever."

He could feel it in his heart, he could feel her words. And slowly, so agonizingly slow, a piece of his heart was rescued from the storm of depression, and placed back together. After all the tragedy, it'd take awhile; but he could feel it; one day, his heart would stop crying crimson tears.

_And it seems to me you lived your life  
Like a candle in the wind  
Never knowing who to cling to  
When the rain set in  
And I would have liked to have known you  
But I was just a kid  
Your candle burned out long before  
Your legend never did_

**----CRIMSON TEARS----**

Song Credit: "Good Riddance" by Greenday and "Candle in the Wind" by Elton John; I do not own the lyrics or music to "Good Riddance" or "Candle in the Wind", nor do I own the characters of "One Tree Hill." I intend to make no profit from this fiction.


	6. Chapter 6

**Epilogue: Move Along **

TWO YEARS LATER

The black Camry followed the interstate as a slow, steady rain tapped on the windshield, being deflected off by the wipers. You wouldn't know that the two occupants of the small, unopulant car were on their way to fame. Nathan Scott looked at his wife, one hand instantly reaching out to grab one of hers', interlocking them to rest on her slightly bulging belly. She looked over at him, smiling. He knew she thought she looked fat, being five months pregnant, but he thought she looked hot in her jeans and his Georgia Tech basketball hoodie. She had stolen it when he first made the team.

"It's okay, Haley. You know everyone is going to be excited to see us-to see you. I mean, no one but my mom knows you're pregnant-they're all gonna be excited." They hadn't been back to Tree Hill since their graduation, when they departed to Atlanta, Haley to Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), and Nathan to play ball at Georgia Tech. Both had worked hard, but now they were moving back to Tree Hill so that they could be with Karen and Deb and Lucas and Brooke, their family. Georgia Tech and SCAD were being left behind for UNC, Haley in English as her music career was starting to soar, and Nathan in Business. Both Brooke and Lucas attended UNC, and starting in December, Nathan would be a part of the starting line-up for the UNC Tarheels.

Tree Hill was still the same small town Nathan remembered. As he pulled into a spot at Karen's Café, he remembered how much he wanted to raise his children in the same small town that he grew up in; he wanted to show them that they would have a better life than he had. Now he'd get his chance. He laced his fingers through Haley's as he opened the door to the café, smirking at the three people at the counter.

"Sorry, we're clos-" Deb Lee stopped when she saw her son and his wife. "Nathan! Haley! What are you two doing here?" She called excitedly, running to hug her nineteen-year-old. She turned to Haley, holding her out at an arm's length. "You look beautiful, hun."

"Thank you, Mrs. Scott," Haley whispered, looking at Karen and Lucas, both staring at the couple. Today was the anniversary…two years since that day. Last year, they couldn't come; Nathan was still engrossed in the memories of it all, and he couldn't face his friends and family; Haley had called, and thankfully everyone had understood.

"Haley! You're…you're…" Karen whispered, her eyes wide at Haley belly.

"Yes, ma'am; I'm pregnant. I wanted to tell you, honest Karen, but we decided to wait until we came back…" Haley trailed off as Karen squeezed her tight into a hug. "I'm sorry I didn't call."

"Come back? You guys-" Lucas started, looking at his brother.

"We both transferred to UNC, Luke; I would have thought the coach would have told you. We just wanted to be near our family when the baby comes," Nathan answered, giving Luke a 'man-hug'.

"Have you been out to see-"

Nathan shook his head, no, looking out past the big front windows, to where the cemetary was, just past the row of building across the street from Karen. There Tim and Keith were buried, and there was Nathan's biggest fear. He glanced to his wife, talking nonstop to Karen and Deb. "I'm going to, though…I feel like the biggest coward for not being here last year…"

"Nathan, we all understand; I didn't go last year-well, I did, then I had to leave," Lucas told him. "It was all too much." He watched Haley, who was smiling at Karen.

"I'm lucky I had her. She helped me through it-"

"And it looks like you got a little gift in the process," Lucas said with a smirk. "How far along is she?"

"Five months. We weren't expecting him, Lucas, but it's amazing how much I already love him."

"Him? You're sure?"

"The doctor says most likely."

"You got a name picked out?"

"Yeah…Timothy Mychael."

"It's a nice way to remember your best friend."

"I'm surprised Haley agreed to it. I swear, this pregnancy is calming her…and making her sexy as hell."

"So, are you two moving to the apartments?"

"No. Mom offered us the house, and we're gonna take it. We've already worked it out; Mom said she'd watch the baby and whenever she couldn't, we can take him to daycare."

"And Brooke and I'll watch him, Nathan. You don't have to worry about that. I can't wait to see my nephew."

"Yeah…I just hope I don't end up like my father….I'm so scared of that, Lucas…I just don't want to screw up like my father did…"

"Nathan, you aren't going to. You being here, you doing this for her shows just how dedicated you are to her, to raising this baby right. Plus, you didn't leave her for college and go sleep with another woman-you are nothing like Dan," Lucas comforted his brother.

"Aww, now doesn't that just suck that he's nothing like me?"

All heads turned to look at Dan, who smiled evilily, his eyes on his youngest son. "So, the prodigal son returns-" he turned to Haley, smirking, "as does the unfaithful wife. And look! Now we have the appearance of the bastard grandchild-"

"Dad-"

"Dan-"

It was all said in unison; a united front against the evil. "Don't talk about my future grandson like that," Deb said, her voice fringed with anger and hate. "And I believe we have a restraining order against you. So get out."

"But I wanted to come, congratulate my son," Dan answered with a smirk. "Especially on his success at Georgia Tech. I heard they did so well last year-"

"At least it was away from you," Nathan answered with his own sneer, going over to Haley. "C'mon," he whispered, looking at his mom. "Thank you all…but we're gonna go ahead and go. We'll see you tonight, Mom." Deb hugged her son one last time before watching them leave, pushing past Dan to their car.

"Looks like someone isn't gonna be invited to the hospital when the baby's born," Lucas smirked, going to the backroom.

_Father to son, husband to wife  
Brother to brother, black man to white  
Living together, falling apart  
Looking for the common ground in every human heart  
It all comes down to the two of us  
Yeah this is where we start _

We are building the bridge  
One small stone at a time  
With a lot of love  
And some help from above  
From your heart to mine

**----CRIMSON TEARS----**

Nathan took a deep breath, staring at the empty graveyard.

"You can do this, baby," Haley whispered, giving him a smile. "Tim agrees so, too," she said happily, looking down at her stomach. "C'mon, baby."

He gave her a smile, opening his door, going around to help her out. "I love you," he whispered, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"I love you, too," she returned, nuzzling her nose into the crook of his neck, looking at the graves. "C'mon."

Nathan couldn't take her hand, walking past her, to _his_ grave.

_Timothy Andrew Smith  
April 2nd, 1987-January 5th, 2006  
Beloved Son, Brother, Uncle and Friend  
We will always remember_

_I can do this_ Nathan told himself as he stepped closer, smiling when he saw the white lilies…Tim's mom, Angie, loved lilies, and Tim always liked the scent. He'd even smell Haley in case she was wearing that perfume…that lily perfume. Nathan wasn't surprised that there was no sign of Tim's father; they weren't very close, and Tim didn't exactly like him.

"Hey, man," Nathan whispered, leaning down to place his fingers on Tim's grave, removing the dead leaves that had covered it as they moved in the wind. "Wow…it's been two years. It seems like so long…it is so long. It's never enough time to make me forget though. I'm never gonna forget you."

Nathan sat beside the grave, eyeing the stone name. "Haley's pregnant, Tim. She's five months pregnant. We've been in Atlanta, but we're coming back here. We're gonna raise the baby here…Baby Tim. We're naming it after you, man-and Keith...Keith's last name was Mycheal. Timothy Mychael. I nearly flipped when Haley actually agreed." Nathan stared at the grave, feeling the tears welling in his eyes. "I'm scared, man…I'm scared to end up like my father. I don't know how I'm gonna do this…I don't know how I'm gonna be the man I want my son to see…I wish you were her e to tell me something to do, or to ease my mind…please Tim…"

He was sobbing quite openly now, opening old wounds he really didn't want to open. He felt his hands trembling, and he put them on the ground, trying to soothe his nerves. "But, I guess I'll only get that advice when I go to heaven, right man?" he laughed a little. "I'm gonna come by and visit you more often. I promise. If I don't, you have permission to mess with me in heaven…which I'm sure you are planning in your mind. But I'll see you man." He stood up, going to his wife, hugging her tight.

_lady, when you're with me i'm smiling  
Give me all your love  
Your hands build me up when i'm sinking  
Just touch me and my troubles all fade  
Lady, from the moment i saw you  
Standing all alone  
You gave all the love that i needed  
So shy, like a child who has grown _

You're my lady of the morning  
Love shines in your eyes  
Sparkling, clear, and lovely  
You're my lady

"It's okay, Nathan….it's okay," she whispered, rubbing smooth circles on his back. "It's okay, baby. Tim's up there, he's watching you; he's taking care of us now," she told him, kissing his forehead. "We'll have all our memories of Tim. You know that baby." Both their hands reached out to her stomach, their baby. "Plus you have me. Anytime you need to talk anytime you need to cry, I'm here for you. I love you."

_She loved him. _

She'd stick with him through anything.

She'd take away the pain.

And then he felt them stop. Finally. They stopped, the storms moved away.

_There were no more crimson tears left to cry. _

It was time for him to move on.

Goodbye, Tim.

Goodbye, Keith.

Goodbye, my crimson tears.

**--FINI--**

Song Credit: "Building the Bridge" by R.E.O. Speedwagon and "Lady" by the Styxs; I do not own the lyrics or music to "Building the Bridge" or "Lady", nor do I own the characters of "One Tree Hill." I intend to make no profit from this fiction.


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